Revise

State Sen. David Ige's campaign on Thursday asked the Democratic Party of Hawaii to revise its schedule for the state convention in May so that candidates can address delegates from the podium.

Ige, who is challenging Gov. Neil Abercrombie in the primary, said Wednesday he was disappointed that he would not be able to address the convention at the Sheraton Waikiki yet Abercrombie would be allowed to speak. The party plans to allow eight elected officials -- including Abercrombie -- five minutes each to give reports on progress toward the party's platform. Candidates can speak at a separate meet-and-greet function at the Royal Hawaiian.

"Today, my campaign submitted a letter requesting that the state central executive committee of Hawaii revise its agenda to provide all candidates to major statewide offices the opportunity to address the convention from the podium. Let the people speak,” Ige said in a statement.

“A governor should welcome the opportunity to share the podium with all major office candidates, showing the party and Democrats across the state that we welcome all voices and views.”

The letter asks the party to stage a two-hour candidate forum on the main floor of the convention on Saturday or Sunday where the candidates for major statewide races could address delegates.

The party's executive committee is expected to meet early next week to discuss the proposal.

7 Responses to “Revise”

Good for him! The leaders of the party that's called "Democratic," and which **should** be "democratic" as well, is driving members away faster than they can acquire them. It's hard to figure why they've decided to go this route, since that kind of behavior has been associated with the right wing of the Republican party for quite some time now.

The notion Democratic Conventions have traditionally only allowed politicians a chance to address the crowd in order to "to give reports on progress toward the party's platform" is what is being "revised" here. That is a tortured construct to justify excluding David Ige from the formal program.

THAT is the history I remember. That is how the Party took affirmative steps for the supporters of both major campaigns to see this as THEIR Party, rather than a tool of one faction. The convention organizers may not have set out to consciously exclude Ige from the podium, but I have no doubt this blunder is the result of the organizing being conducted by people loyal to the Governor. It is because they excluded Ige supporters from the planning that none of them noticed how unfairly they were treating him.

I think this proposal from the Ige campaign is too generous, gives up too much. As a credible candidate for Governor and the potential titular leader of the Democratic Party, Ige deserves to be given a more elevated speaking position than the multiple candidates for congress.

The Governor could intervene by letting it be known he disapproves of how Ige is being treated. Such an intervention would save him from the black eye which will otherwise appear on his face. Heck, it would even make him look GOOD.

"Liberals believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems.

Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems."

using the above model, one can see why a heavily dominated Democratic Party in the State of Hawaii has driven prices up through growing government and runaway taxes to fund this bureaucracy. Yet folks, while bitterly complaining about the high burden of taxes and government, go to the polls faithfully to reelect the same party clones that are determined to do more of the same. Hawaii needs balance. It is so difficult because of government unions.

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